, this time with an official badge clipped to her c

that she'd

her mother needed med

glaring at the gold letters etc

ENTER

ed money. And silence. Like a pla

oached, clipboard in

nod

tant. He asked me to brief you on the p

er nerves fluttered. "H

could cut glass. "He oversee

f course

reams. But Aria could already see what it was meant to become: sleek marble

it all, perfectly pressed an

nd of her heels clic

're

five m

oo many," he said,

r arms. "Good t

the corner of his mouth, but it

interior designer. They'll integrate your floral themes with the rooms

glancing toward Eth

, calm and cold.

said it made her spine st

don't breathe down m

flinch. He studied Aria like she was a

disappoint m

I don't work for you.

, unreadable no

her apartment into a design war zone. Swatches of fabric, dried flo

und her shoulders and a mug of tea in her lap. Her coug

job?" Eleanor asked,

The one I had to basic

wned gently. "

Rude. And definitely

ce," Eleanor said. "May

ldoze a puppy shelter if it got

at her when he saw her floral design. The quiet pause. The

te for the second meeting, she

d," he said without lo

you'd say that

ile," he re

an t

hese are the themes I'm thinking: soft greens, dusty pinks, an

he boards. "You think that

e want luxury, but the

that. "You'r

she replied. "It

n her, thoughtful. "You

stubborn intern

he used to tend to a rooftop gar

, so slight it was barely noti

appened

. Just turned ba

," he said. "You'll presen

inked.

t. Delivering to the bo

t a breath

thing prof

w. "Was that...

it surviva

r the first time, Ethan di

nd glass windows, of Ethan's voice-measured an

ke, she hated h

't stand his arrogance, someth

g came faster th

navy blazer she borrowed from her friend T

than asked as

"Do I look l

r-eyes lingering

be fine,

. "That almost sounde

ople I don't believe

er, more than sh

Aria stepped forward, voice shaking at first but

her, not int

s silence. Then a smattering of

e room emptied, s

el

, then said, "Yo

"That sounded dangero

get use

"Maybe I do

silence between th

ted you," Etha

breath

are me," sh

w lifte

in there. And I don't know if I

like she'd just said something tha

id in a voice barely above a whisper, "The